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It's a double edged sword. If it wasn't for the explosion of card/memorbillia collecting of the 1980s not only would there be no SCF not to mention most of us would not be collecting cards. That being said the same thing that caused the explosion of our hobby could ultimately lead to its downfall. One of the things card companies must do is something that the cigarette companies used to do. Market their product to kids. No I am not suggesting that kids should smoke and I am very anti tobacco but I remember about 10-15 years ago one of the cigarette companies had a real popular mascot called Joe Camel. It was a cartoon moose that made smoking cool. Their idea was to put images of that in kids heads so they will remember when they are old enough to smoke. Why can't card companies come up with more ways to draw kids in the hobby now so that they will continue in the hobby when they are older. Not for to make money but for the pure enjoyment. I remember the adrenalyn xl series by panini as well as attax by topps. Both of them were low end card products that were tied into a computer game. The cards were also not glossy and were perfect for obtaining autos of their favorite ballplayers. Kids nowadays just like many adults like computer and video games so why not promote card collecting through video games. I still believe that there is room for a lot of growth in our hobby but companies need to understand that kids must come first otherwise in the next 10-20 years there will be no one for them to sell their products too.

While I agree that they need to explore other routes to put cards out there, I don't feel that the introduction of the memorabilia is the reason for the growth. The era itself with the price guides & internet going mainstream were probably the biggest push. Multiple card companies were issuing several sets each & overproducing the heck out of them as they saw the sales numbers going up because of those two things. Memorabilia, if anything was probably brought out to save the industry as cards didn't see that included until the very late 90's, after the massive overproduction runs. The card companies themselves though aren't the ones to introduce cards to kids through other means, that would fall upon the companies making the other products geared towards kids that need to get on board or back on board. The cereal companies stopped producing as well as other food marketers geared towards the younger generation such as Bazooka, Big League Chew & other candy producers. The video games are going to sell with or without the cards, so there is really no incentive for them to spend the money to produce the cards.

And just to touch on the whole cartoonish Joe Camel mascot making kids smoke, I don't buy it. Somehow I don't see spinach as being a big seller for grocery stores, & Popeye has been eating that in front of kids for decades!

Hidden ContentSuperCollecting 3 generations of Yastrzemski's!Carl: 571/3669 not including 1/1's (15.6%), Mike: 8/8 (100%), Michael: 24/88 (27.3%)
Always looking for any memorabilia that I don't have to add to my PC! WANTLIST--->Hidden Content

The problem with collecting is not just kids,have you ever shown some of your cards to your co-workers they have no clue as to what our little pieces of cardboard are nor could they care.We are in our universe on sportscardforum and people know the cards good and bad,go outside of scf and not many people care.Take this test ask 10 co-workers about sportscards,I guarantee at least 9 of 10 won't know a thing.I think it is up to us as collectors to educate people about our hobby,as it seems like the companies only want to make the big bucks now and foresake the future,heck I can't even get my own son interested in cards,and yes I thought Joe Camel was cool,didn't get me to smoke but still cool.

Do something nice for someone everyday, it will pay off in the long run.

The problem with collecting is not just kids,have you ever shown some of your cards to your co-workers they have no clue as to what our little pieces of cardboard are nor could they care.We are in our universe on sportscardforum and people know the cards good and bad,go outside of scf and not many people care.Take this test ask 10 co-workers about sportscards,I guarantee at least 9 of 10 won't know a thing.I think it is up to us as collectors to educate people about our hobby,as it seems like the companies only want to make the big bucks now and foresake the future,heck I can't even get my own son interested in cards,and yes I thought Joe Camel was cool,didn't get me to smoke but still cool.

But it's the same with every hobby. People who are not into cards think we are lame and childish for collecting pieces of cardboard and we think people who build plastic scale models are lame and childish for playing with toys. The very nature of hobbies makes it so people who don't participate in them will usually think those that do are a little off. Although I do think it is easier for us to understand other hobbies simply because we have our own little obsessions.

The unfortunate thing for our hobby is that it is a bit more difficult to convince people that we are not off. Collecting things in general is not really FUN. I mean sure, we get enjoyment out of it but for someone who just doesn't understand why we do it its hard to convince them it is fun. Even the most sports geeky guys I know don't get into cards. Some did as kids and some still have those cards but they are not actively collecting cards anymore. The most common comment I hear is "I used to have a bunch of cards but I grew out of them" As if they were a pair of jeans or something. If they are not into it chances are their kids aren't going to be into it.

I try to get my nephews into cards by buying them lots of Bears cards or cards of their favorite players every now and then but after two or three days of looking at them and sorting them they sit on the floor until their mom or dad (who watches any sport you can think of) threatens to throw them away. Then they get boxed up and put in the closet until the next lot comes along. Sadly, the most effective way to get people to take an interest in our hobby is to talk about the financial aspect. "So you've got a drawer full of cards, so what? They are worth how much? Tell me more." I still think that visions of making tons of money is what draws the most people into this hobby.

I still believe that there is room for a lot of growth in our hobby but companies need to understand that kids must come first otherwise in the next 10-20 years there will be no one for them to sell their products too.

It's not only who will be the new people they will sell to in 10-20 years its who will be gone. The sad thing is that in 10-20 years a very good percentage of people on this forum and every other one like it, who are lamenting the future of the hobby now will no longer be involved in it. Like I said earlier, a lot of people on here follow the money and when they realize its not the gold mine they thought it would be they will leave (personally my reaction to that is good riddance but that's not the issue) I know a lot of people are younger (high school, college age) and they will lose interest. New things will come along, careers, families new hobbies and they will be gone. Some will stick with it of course but in 20 years those of us who were into it 20 years ago will be wondering I wonder what happened to so and so, they were really into it back then. Actually in 20 years a lot of you will be wondering if you changed your depends yet today but you get my point. Some will leave and come back and their first words will be "who ruined the hobby" and they will bore the new guys with all their "I remember when cards..." They will have all the answers and they will be wrong. Some of us will still be here boring the others with "I remember when cards..." we will have all the answers and they will still be wrong.

Hobbies change but collecting, and I don't care what you collect, will always have a following. The followers may come and go but someone will always be there. All I know is that as long as there is Green Bay Packer stuff out there I will look for it. I may not buy EVERYTHING like I used to but if I find cool things I will buy them and if I finds cheap cards I will buy them. Unless my financial situation changes drastically for the better I'll never have the high end cards that most people chase but I think for me that means the hobby will be more stable. I know one thing I will never say is "I can't believe I paid that much for that card" and I am very happy with that.

Steve Schindler

Collect what you want to collect. Collect players and cards that you like. Collect what you can afford. Collect for you, not to try to impress someone else. If you do this you will much more likely to enjoy the hobby and stay with it.

But it's the same with every hobby. People who are not into cards think we are lame and childish for collecting pieces of cardboard and we think people who build plastic scale models are lame and childish for playing with toys. The very nature of hobbies makes it so people who don't participate in them will usually think those that do are a little off. Although I do think it is easier for us to understand other hobbies simply because we have our own little obsessions.

The unfortunate thing for our hobby is that it is a bit more difficult to convince people that we are not off. Collecting things in general is not really FUN. I mean sure, we get enjoyment out of it but for someone who just doesn't understand why we do it its hard to convince them it is fun. Even the most sports geeky guys I know don't get into cards. Some did as kids and some still have those cards but they are not actively collecting cards anymore. The most common comment I hear is "I used to have a bunch of cards but I grew out of them" As if they were a pair of jeans or something. If they are not into it chances are their kids aren't going to be into it.

I try to get my nephews into cards by buying them lots of Bears cards or cards of their favorite players every now and then but after two or three days of looking at them and sorting them they sit on the floor until their mom or dad (who watches any sport you can think of) threatens to throw them away. Then they get boxed up and put in the closet until the next lot comes along. Sadly, the most effective way to get people to take an interest in our hobby is to talk about the financial aspect. "So you've got a drawer full of cards, so what? They are worth how much? Tell me more." I still think that visions of making tons of money is what draws the most people into this hobby.

I still believe that there is room for a lot of growth in our hobby but companies need to understand that kids must come first otherwise in the next 10-20 years there will be no one for them to sell their products too.

It's not only who will be the new people they will sell to in 10-20 years its who will be gone. The sad thing is that in 10-20 years a very good percentage of people on this forum and every other one like it, who are lamenting the future of the hobby now will no longer be involved in it. Like I said earlier, a lot of people on here follow the money and when they realize its not the gold mine they thought it would be they will leave (personally my reaction to that is good riddance but that's not the issue) I know a lot of people are younger (high school, college age) and they will lose interest. New things will come along, careers, families new hobbies and they will be gone. Some will stick with it of course but in 20 years those of us who were into it 20 years ago will be wondering I wonder what happened to so and so, they were really into it back then. Actually in 20 years a lot of you will be wondering if you changed your depends yet today but you get my point. Some will leave and come back and their first words will be "who ruined the hobby" and they will bore the new guys with all their "I remember when cards..." They will have all the answers and they will be wrong. Some of us will still be here boring the others with "I remember when cards..." we will have all the answers and they will still be wrong.

Hobbies change but collecting, and I don't care what you collect, will always have a following. The followers may come and go but someone will always be there. All I know is that as long as there is Green Bay Packer stuff out there I will look for it. I may not buy EVERYTHING like I used to but if I find cool things I will buy them and if I finds cheap cards I will buy them. Unless my financial situation changes drastically for the better I'll never have the high end cards that most people chase but I think for me that means the hobby will be more stable. I know one thing I will never say is "I can't believe I paid that much for that card" and I am very happy with that.

Well thought out response and I agree with most of it,We almost had a new following with the Jeter,Mantle,Bush error card but that lasted not that long.My wife collected Beanie Babies,now that is one collection that will never regain value,they sit in clear plastic tubs in my garage mocking me everyday saying if you didn't collect cards your wife wouldn't have bought us.I like you will never say I paid too much for a card,I bust alot of cheap retail and the occasional hobby box if I find a good price,I will never give up the hobby but I just wish it did hold more value.

Do something nice for someone everyday, it will pay off in the long run.

Well thought out response and I agree with most of it,We almost had a new following with the Jeter,Mantle,Bush error card but that lasted not that long.My wife collected Beanie Babies,now that is one collection that will never regain value,they sit in clear plastic tubs in my garage mocking me everyday saying if you didn't collect cards your wife wouldn't have bought us.I like you will never say I paid too much for a card,I bust alot of cheap retail and the occasional hobby box if I find a good price,I will never give up the hobby but I just wish it did hold more value.

Your wife doesn't by chance have the Yaz Beanie Bear in there somewhere does she???

Hidden ContentSuperCollecting 3 generations of Yastrzemski's!Carl: 571/3669 not including 1/1's (15.6%), Mike: 8/8 (100%), Michael: 24/88 (27.3%)
Always looking for any memorabilia that I don't have to add to my PC! WANTLIST--->Hidden Content

[QUOTE=pwaldo;12195538]The thing though is that isn't the only 1/1 autograph of Aaron Rodgers. Yes it will be that only version but companies make multiple 1/1 cards from sets and you have several different companies and sets. Aaron Rodgers could basically have over 100 cards that are 1/1 autograph rookie cards. So why would you pay a million dollars for something that you could get that was basically the same thing from a different product?

When you had tobacco cards of Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner they didn't really make that many different sets so the pool is very limited to choose from....then you combine that with the scarcity equals their current value. Modern cards aren't really the same.[/QU

This. I don't see anything in the modern market really retaining value let alone appreciate. Everybody from late 80's on forward has a ton of RCs, Autos, GU, etc. The older RC cards had one card that was "the" rookie card. Now there is 30-40 RCs of everybody. What is "the" rookie card. Many collectors don't like to mix RCs with Autos or Game Used. A 1/1 chrome refractor is not really "rare", it is the same card as the other thousand chrome cards, just a different border. How well with those really hold up in value?

Also, nobody has brought up grading in all of this. Will the future only value cards graded by a certain company at a certain grade? The money made right now in vintage isn't with buying and selling cards persay, it is buying raw and flipping them graded. I don't see how that business model can survive the long run with the subjectivity of grading. I think the high dollar graded card bubble will pop at some point. For now, there are alot of plastic slab collectors out there.

The problem with collecting is not just kids,have you ever shown some of your cards to your co-workers they have no clue as to what our little pieces of cardboard are nor could they care.We are in our universe on sportscardforum and people know the cards good and bad,go outside of scf and not many people care.Take this test ask 10 co-workers about sportscards,I guarantee at least 9 of 10 won't know a thing.I think it is up to us as collectors to educate people about our hobby,as it seems like the companies only want to make the big bucks now and foresake the future,heck I can't even get my own son interested in cards,and yes I thought Joe Camel was cool,didn't get me to smoke but still cool.

That's because card companies don't advertise outside of Beckett and other sports card magazines. Do they even advertise in Sports Illustrated? I know they don't have unlimited budgets but preaching to the choir is kinda pointless unless you have a great new product. The people buying Bowman Chrome will continue to buy BC every year. You don't need ads targeting them. Put some money into good TV ads for cards and I'm sure you will attract NEW customers including kids.